Shiloh Walker’s Ash Trilogy

If You Hear Her

Book 1 in the Ash Trilogy

A CRY IN THE WOODS

The scream Lena Riddle hears in the woods behind her house is enough to curdle her blood—she has no doubt that a woman is in real danger. Unfortunately, with no physical evidence, the local law officers in small-town Ash, Kentucky, dismiss her claim. But Lena knows what she heard—and it leaves her filled with fear and frustration.

Ezra King is on leave from the state police, but he can’t escape the guilty memories that haunt his dreams. When he sees Lena, he is immediately drawn to her. He aches to touch her—to be touched by her—but is he too burdened by his tragic past to get close?

When Ezra hears her story of an unknown woman’s screams, his instincts tell him that Lena’s life is also at risk—and his desire to protect her is as fierce as his need to possess her.

Read an Excerpt Here

*****

If You See Her

Book 2 in the Ash Trilogy

A FACE IN THE MIRROR

Hope Carson may not look like a survivor, but she has escaped an abusive ex-husband and recovered from a vicious assault. Now she endures the painful memories and suspicious rumors surrounding her involvement in the attack. Her ex is a cop, so the last people she trusts are law enforcement officials—and she certainly doesn’t trust how the local DA makes her feel inside.

Remy Jennings should know better. He has no business falling for a woman who he suspects may have a deeply troubled mind. And even if he did make a move, she’d bolt like a frightened rabbit. But how can he deny a burning desire that threatens to consume him? As Hope’s past catches up with her in the worst way, Remy is determined to break through her defenses, earn her trust, and keep her safe in his arms—before it’s too late.

He wanted to touch her…he wanted it so bad, he hurt with it, ached with it, would have gone to his knees and begged it he thought it would have done any good.

Read an Excerpt Here

*****

If You Know Her

Book 3 in the Ash Trilogy

A SHADOW IN THE WINDOW

Nia Hollister doesn’t scare easily. Come hell or high water, she intends to find her cousin’s killer. She returns to Ash, Kentucky, for answers. What she doesn’t expect is to ache with desire every time she sees Law Reilly. If any man can help her escape the nightmares for a while, it’s him. But can she allow herself to take comfort in those strong arms when a murderer still roams free?

Unknown to Nia, as she quietly slips into Law Reilly’s home, is that she’s being watched—by someone who is waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Timing is everything, though he can’t wait forever. If she’s not frightened, she soon will be. Nia has made a vow to find her cousin’s killer. She should be careful what she wishes for.

Read an Excerpt Here

August 2, 2013August 2, 2013

Letters to Nowhere with Julie Cross

I’m proud to have Julie Cross here today to discuss her new book, Letters to Nowhere. This is a sweet romance that I hope that you will check out.

1. Tell me a little bit about your new release Letters to Nowhere.

LtN has all the usual elements readers are looking for in a contemporary teen romance—a swoon worthy boy, sexual tension, emotional connection and conflicts that make the relationship complicated at times—but there’s also this added element of the world of elite gymnastics. I’m such a fan of sports-themed YA and NA novels. I read all of them I can get my hands on and I can honestly say that LtN is very true to the sport of gymnastics and it is a huge part of the plot, not just this thing on the side that doesn’t get nearly enough page time. Gymnastics is my main character, Karen’s, life. She lives it and breathes it. She does all her schooling online and trains 7-8 hours per day, six days a week. There’s really no room for boys in her life but somehow, one boy finds his way into her life and her heart. In this case, it’s exactly what Karen needs.

2. I understand that this book has a special place in your heart. Are you able to share with us?

Yes, LtN is truly the book of my heart. Up until a few months before my first novel, Tempest, released I worked full time as a Gymnastics Program Director at the YMCA. I participated and competed in gymnastics on and off until I was 15. At 15, I started coaching at a YMCA in the Chicago area. I’ve coaching ever since and I’m 33 now. My daughters compete in gymnastics now so I volunteer coach at their gym when I’m available. My passion for the sport and learning everything I could about it is identical to my passion for writing.

Since I began writing in May of 2009, I’ve dreamt about writing a YA novel with an elite gymnast narrating. It combines my two greatest passions—gymnastics and teen fiction. I would have killed to read this book or anything like it when I was a teenager and even now. But at the time I began writing and even after having a book deal, there just wasn’t much of a market for contemporary YA and NA didn’t have a place at all until recently, so I pushed the idea aside and forced myself to think of concepts that would pay the bills and allow me to be at home with my kids. Until I had a very clear concept in January of 2012. It started with a question, as books often do. Female elite gymnasts are often still children and the support system required from families to get to that level is huge. So I had this girl in my head who had big dreams—World and Olympic level dreams—and then I thought, what if her support system was suddenly and instantly gone? Could she keep going? And if not, what would she do? She’s never been to high school, never done teenage activities, she doesn’t know how to be 17. The characters spoke to me and wouldn’t stop. The scenes played out. Then the Olympic Games happened last summer, and I had no choice but to write this book, marketable or not.

3. Which actors do you envision playing your characters in Letters to Nowhere?

Karen, to me, has always been a red-headed McKayla Maroney. I can’t see her as anyone else. Her teammates make up the secondary characters and I have former and present day gymnasts envisioned for each of them. As far as Jordan (the main love interest in LtN) goes, Conner Jessup from the TNT hit series Falling Skies is just perfect.

4. What are you working on next?

I’m working on sequels for LtN. There’s still a lot for Karen to accomplish and many of my early beta readers threatened to stalk me constantly if I didn’t continue the story. I also have two Mature YA/NA releases coming out this fall and a co-authored NA series set in the world of NYC models that I wrote with Mark Perini titled HALFWAY PERFECT has sold recently and will probably release summer 2014. There’s also TIMESTORM, the final book in the Tempest series releasing in January 2014.

5. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

1) Read a lot. And more specifically, read in the genre you’d like to be published in
2) If you’re writing YA or NA or even MG, write the story your teen or tween self would have wanted to read.

About the Author:

I live in central Illinois with my wonderful husband and three kids currently between the ages of 7 and 12 (the kids not the husband). My writing journey began in May, 2009 with a short story in a notebook.

Within a year, I had written seven (some good some God-awful) young adult novels. Not being a college graduate and having spent the previous fifteen years teaching gymnastics and working as a YMCA Program Director for Recreational Gymnastics, professional writing wasn’t in my plans. Not even close. But ever since the day I started that short story, I haven’t been able to stop. It was love at first sight.

After about a year of writing, I had a three book deal with St. Martin’s Press, and a film option with Summit Entertainment. Crazy, right? I know. It wasn’t until August of 2011 that I quit working full time in order to be at home with my kids more and of course, write more. My young adult time travel debut novel, Tempest, released on January 17, 2012. The rest of my personal story remains unwritten.

Jennifer’s Review of Letters To Nowhere

TITLE: Letters to Nowhere

CHARACTERS: Karen Campbell and Jordan Bentley

AUTHOR: Julie Cross

PUBLICATION DATE: 08/06/13

BOOK SYNOPSIS: Seventeen year old Karen Campbell has just lost both her parents in a tragic car accident. Grief stricken and alone, her gymnastics coach opens his home to Karen, providing her a place to live while she continues to train, working toward a spot on the world championship team.

Coach Bentley’s only child, seventeen year old Jordan is good-looking and charming enough to scare away a girl like Karen–someone who has spent ten times more hours on balance beams and uneven bars than talking or even thinking about boys. But the two teens share a special connection almost immediately. It turns out Jordan has a tragic past of his own, grief buried for years.

As Karen’s gymnastics career soars, her nightmares and visions of the horrible accident grow in strength. She can only avoid facing her grief for so long before it begins to surface and ultimately spin out of control in a very dangerous way. Can discovering love and lust (simultaneously) help with the grieving process or will it only provide a temporary distraction while waiting for reality to hit full force.

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Jennifer NUMBER OF STARS: Four Stars

REVIEW: This book was an emotional coming of age story about a young gymnast named Karen who is still reeling from the loss of her parents after a tragic car accident. Not sure where to go with her parents gone, her coach offers to take her in so she can finish school and still be able to train with her team. Coach Bentley has also dealt with loss, and his young son, Jordan, becomes an ally and confidant for Karen during this troubling time. Besides dealing with her grief, Karen also starts to experience normal teenage milestones such as dating and falling in love without the support of her family.

I loved Julie Cross’ style of writing in her previous novels and this book really captures Karen’s emotional journey of navigating through her teenage years without her mom and how that loss shapes who she is. I loved how Karen wrote letters to the people in her life about what she was feeling that she never planned to send, which really touched my heart. I couldn’t imagine losing my family such as Karen did and she was tremendously brave to continue with her normal routine knowing that every step of the way she would be thinking of her parents. I connected with her almost immediately and I was glad that she had the relationship with Jordan that she did. He was smart, funny and just what Karen needed to get through this period of her life. Neither of them are perfect but they fit well together and I loved watching their relationship grow during the course of this story. I really enjoyed Letters to Nowhere and Karen’s story of grief, triumph, friendship and love will stick with you long after you finish the last page.

August 2, 2013August 2, 2013

Interview & Giveaway with Laura Kaye

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome back Laura Kaye!!!!!!

Laura, we always love having you here. Can you please share with us a little about yourself

I’d love to! And thanks for having me back at Books-n-Kisses again! I write paranormal and contemporary romance and current have four series: Vampire Warrior Kings, of which Taken by the Vampire King is the third book; the Greek-mythology-inspired Hearts of the Anemoi series; the Heroes series, and my new Hard Ink series that debuts this November. I’m also a mom of two young girls, owner of a cute-but-bad dog, and total vampire nut!

Have you always wanted to be an author?

Not exactly. From a young age I knew I wanted to research, write, and teach history, so that’s what I did. I have a PhD in American history and have taught at the college level for the past 15 years. As part of that work, I am a non-fiction author. But it wasn’t until I suffered a minor traumatic brain injury five years ago that I developed an insatiable creative streak that most manifested itself in writing fiction. Now I couldn’t live without it.

Are you a plotter or a pantser or combo of both? And you explain the difference?

I used to be a total seat-of-my-pants writer (i.e., a pantser, someone who doesn’t do much or any advanced planning for a book), and I still prefer that. But once you start selling books on proposal and having back-to-back deadlines, plotting becomes more and more important and necessary (i.e., a plotter, someone who to varying degrees plans and outlines what’s going to happen in the book before they start writing). So now I’m a combination of both.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

LOL! Hmm… For most of my recent books, I’ve listened to one song on repeat hundreds of times while I wrote that particular book. A different song for each book. After a while, it becomes the best white noise!

Can you please tell us about your latest book?

I’d love to! Taken by the Vampire King is a beauty-and-the-beast story set in Tromso, Norway, featuring a dying vampire king and a terminally ill human woman determined to pursue her dreams for however long she has left. Here’s the blurb:

Henrik Magnusson is supposed to be immortal, but a mysterious ailment leaves the vampire king near death, and not even the blood of the Proffered, human virgins trained to serve the elite, can sustain him. Then he rescues a beautiful young woman from his enemies, and is filled with blood lust and desire he hasn’t felt for centuries.

Photographer Kaira Sorenson’s life takes a nightmare turn when she’s attacked by blood-thirsty creatures—and saved by a vampire. She should be afraid of Henrik, but she can’t deny her intense attraction to this regal, enigmatic being—nor the fact that her blood may be his only salvation. Now she must decide if she’s willing to be his forever… (order links below)

How did you come with the idea for this story?

I’ve always wanted to include the Northern Lights in a story! LOL And I’ve always loved the Beauty and the Beast set-up. And I always knew this king was dying. Those were the germs for the story and from there, it took shape.

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?

I am currently writing Hard as You Can (Hard Ink #2) – hot, hot, hot contemporary romance about the survivors of a Special Forces team who run an underground mission out of the back of a tattoo shop.

Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?

J.R. Ward. Because she is my favorite author and I admire her writing very much. And to say thank you in person for recently providing me with a cover quote for my book, Hard As It Gets!!!

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Keep working at it, keep writing, keep believing, even when things are hard. And read. A lot.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list.

A lot of my bucket list is travel related. I MUST see the Northern Lights before I die. And I have to travel to Ireland, Russia, and Egypt.

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

My TBR pile is ginormous! I want to read Emily McKay’s The Farm, Jennifer L. Armentrout’s new YA series, and I need to start Jessica Andersen’s books, to name a few.

What is one book everyone should read before they die?

I don’t think such a thing exists. Reading is such an intensely personal and intimate experience, so I would assume that a book that deeply meant something to me would impact everyone that same way.

What is your favorite time of year & why?

I love summer because you can be outside and I’ve always loved the beach.

Who is your Celebrity crush? And what would you do if you ever meet them?

Chris Hemsworth. I would probably be so star struck that I just grinned ridiculously the whole time and meeting him would be over before I knew it. LOL

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Huge thank you to the readers who make this all possible! Love you guys!

Add to Goodreads

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Excerpt:

“So, what? You want to drink my blood again?” Kaira drew her knees up under the hospital blanket.

At least her directness saved him the trouble of figuring out how to tell her what needed to happen here. “Ja.” He dragged a hand through his hair. Suddenly, an idea took shape in his mind. As much of a monster as this probably made him, he had to find out how feeding from her fully would impact his malady. But perhaps he could do something for her in return.

What if she fed from him, too?

His body snapped to attention, heartbeat pulsing in his fangs, cock hard and aching. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had elicited these reactions. Blood lust and physical lust usually went hand in hand for a vampire, so he hadn’t craved the tight heat of a woman’s body in a very long time. Too long.

“That’s it? That’s all you have to say? Because, you know, I’m kinda using this blood over here.”

The angered heat behind her words did nothing to rein in his physical reactions. He swallowed hard, forcing down his hunger for her blood. And her body. “I know how this sounds, Kaira, and I am sorry. If there was another way…well, there isn’t. I’ve tried everything. I wouldn’t take more than you could afford to lose at one time. I don’t know if your blood will definitively cure me, but I do know without it…I’ve no chance at all.” He shook his head, still grappling with his thought of offering her his vein in return.

Usually, such a privilege was reserved for a vampire’s mate, especially given his rank and station. Not that he’d ever been successful at finding a blood match that might’ve led to his joining with a mate. For a single moment, he let himself imagine the immense satisfaction of Kaira’s lips at his throat, her tongue coaxing his blood into her mouth, her body clinging tightly to his.

His cock punched at the zipper to his jeans and his fangs stretched out against his bottom lip. And that reaction was another consideration. Could he feed her and not make it about sex? He wasn’t even sure it was possible.

Kaira gasped, her eyes trained on his mouth.

He almost turned away. But then he thought better of it. It would be good for her to see his true nature now and have the time to wrap her head around it.

At first, looming panic filled her expression. But then it shifted into what he would’ve sworn was abject fascination. Her respirations quickened, her heart rate thrummed, and the rich scent of her adrenaline filled the air—along with something else. Something hotter, sweeter, more feminine.

She was aroused. By the sight of his fangs.

He was merely a shadow of the male he’d once been. No delusions about what he looked like here. Was it really possible that someone as beautiful as Kaira could find him attractive?

“Kaira,” he said in a rasping warning. If she didn’t stop looking at him like that, he wouldn’t be responsible for his actions. She blinked and licked her lips. Which didn’t help his restraint one damn bit. He pushed onto his feet and braced his hands on each of the bedrails, a predator stalking her, boxing her in. “You need to understand how weak my restraint is right now.”

GIVEAWAY:

Did you have a favorite line from the excerpt?

One commenter who leaves their email address will win a $5 Amazon or B&N gift card!

Open to international! Good luck!

A little more about Laura:

Laura Kaye is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen books in contemporary and paranormal romance. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

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August 2, 2013July 30, 2013

Interview with Jess Raven & Paula Black

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Jess Raven & Paula Black to the blog today to talk about their book Becoming Red.

Jess, Paula, can you please share with us a little about yourself

I (Paula) was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, where I live with my wonderfully supportive husband and children. My passions, other than writing, are reading, travelling and good food. I’ve been fortunate in my life to have seen quite a lot of the world, but my favorite places to escape to are the worlds in my head.

Jess: I was born and raised in Manchester, England. I live with my mum, who as well as being one of my best friends, is my biggest fan. When I’m not working, I’m reading or writing, and I love to travel, when I can. Anywhere and everywhere.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

Paula: To this day, I have notebooks filled with poems and short stories written from when I was about nine years old. I rarely look at them and hardly a soul has ever seen them, but I could never quite bring myself to throw away that childhood dream. As so often happens, life took over. I went to college to study medicine, met my husband and we both embarked on extremely busy medical careers. It was only when I had my own children, and the opportunity to stay home to raise them, that I got the chance to finally revisit that early creativity.

Jess: Always. Words have been in my head since I knew how to form them, and the minute I could write my thoughts, no surface was safe. Napkins, menus, schoolbooks and (much to the dismay of my teachers) that blank page at the back of exam papers. Those are just some of the weird places. My mind wandered into other worlds a lot. I had more characters in my head as a child than I had friends. My life and writing has always been tightly intertwined, and my jobs have always allowed time for world building.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

Paula: Ha! It’s not really that interesting, and I’m sure a lot of writers do it, but I always laugh when I find myself mimicking the facial expressions of the characters I am writing. If I were to set a webcam to record my face while I write, I would no doubt curl up and die of embarrassment.

Jess: I don’t know if it’s a quirk, but I talk while I type. Constantly. I speak dialogue out loud; I growl when a character does, whether it’s me writing or Paula. I’ll speak lines I’ve written to make sure they sound right. I can’t write in silence. Having the TV on makes me quieter, but it won’t shut me up.

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

We have just released Becoming Bad, the second book in our Becoming series. It’s an adult paranormal romance set in Dublin, Ireland.

In book one, our heroine, Ashling, discovered that the black lake beneath Dublin’s medieval city holds a secret. Imprisoned there for millennia, an ancient race of demi-gods have found a way to the surface and are preying on humans to feed their sexual appetites. Hunted to near-extinction, these half-men, half-beasts have been without a single female to breed a new generation. Until now. All her life, Ashling DeMorgan feared her dreams. She kept her head buried in ancient mythology, because the real world seemed so much scarier. On returning to Dublin to settle her invalid grandmother’s affairs, Ash discovered a city plagued by the same wolf-like creatures that killed her mother. Their bite is like sexual heroin and Ash has been bitten. Now she is trapped in a waking nightmare, with the monster who ordered the death of the only man she’s ever loved. Made to doubt if she ever really knew the assassin-turned-guardian who stole her heart and gave his life for hers, Ash finds herself betrayed by her own changing body. In a dangerous world of suspicion and divided loyalties, Ash must come to terms with what she is becoming. Worse still, her infuriatingly arrogant captor may just prove to be her most unlikely ally in what will become a life and death race for survival.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

Jess came to me with a dream that she was little red riding hood, all grown up and being pursued through a forest by huge, predatory male, and when he caught her and pinned her to the ground, he shifted into his wolf form.

I rarely get to have those kind of sexy dreams. I’m usually woken pre-dawn by my kids diving all over the bed. But I did take them on a tour of Dublin city to discover its Viking origins and listened to the tale of an immortal Irish hero who supposedly dwells beneath the city and is her protector.

Those two elements combined to create our reluctant hero, Connal Savage.

Dublin city was originally founded by Viking invaders, and given the name of ‘Dubh Linn’ because of the black lake on which they moored their longboats. I’ve always found the idea of the black lake to be mysterious and evocative.

The Becoming world draws on a mix of ancient Irish and Norse mythology, with sexy alpha-male vikings, Celtic goddesses and the Fomorians (a mythical, semi-divine race, variously described as grotesque beasts and as beautiful men.) Add a smattering of Little Red Riding Hood transported to an edgy, urban setting and the addictive, drug-like sexual effects of the Fomorians’ bite on humans and you get some feel for the story.

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?

Right now, we are in the early stages of working on the third book of the Becoming trilogy, which promises to be an even wilder ride than the first two.

Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?

Paula: I imagine that most authors are like me: much less interesting in real life than they are in the worlds of their imagination, but if he weren’t long dead, I’d love to have met Oscar Wilde. Barring dead people, I’d have to say Joss Whedon. What an incredible talent and imagination, and he seems like he’d be a lot of fun to know.

Jess: Joss is a god, his creativity knows no bounds. Hmm, I would probably have to say, if we’re going for living people, Neil Gaiman or Stephen King. The way they write the darker sides of humanity has always amazed me and people could learn some things from Gaiman’s Sandman. As to dead people, Jane Austen, without a doubt. Girl had a hell of a way with words

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Paula: Be patient before you publish. Seek honest opinions (not your friends and family). Edit, re-edit and edit again. Do it for the love of it, never for recognition or financial gain, and when the inevitable criticisms come, never forget why you started writing to begin with. Believe in your story and others will believe it too.

Jess: What Paula said. There isn’t much more to it than that. Maybe stock up on your favourite comfort food and pillows for when you get frustrated. Don’t give up. Even if some days it feels like getting down words is harder than pulling teeth from a werewolf, keep going. Write. Write a letter, write a poem, write your thoughts, just keep the words coming and your world will get back on track.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list.

Paula: The most important thing I want to do before I die is to see my children grow up into happy, healthy secure adults. Everything else is frosting on the cake.

Jess: I want to survive a zombie apocalypse. Walking Dead style. Before or after Mr Darcy broods at me and sweeps me off my feet. I’m not picky.

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

Paula: I am very much looking forward to Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Styxx. The concept of twins has always fascinated me, and I’ve always been partial to a strongly written anti-hero.

Jess: Ditto. I want to know how she redeems him. Acheron broke my heart with his back story, and Styxx has always been in shades of grey as to whether he’s cruel. I’m thinking not. He just needs a hug.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

We’d just like to thank Books-n-Kisses for hosting us on your blog and for the great interview questions. It’s been a true pleasure and we’d love to meet with you again soon.

Where to find the Jess & Paula:

www.RavenandBlack.blogspot.com.

Twitter: @RavenandBlack.

Facebook page: Raven and Black.

*****

Becoming Red

(Book One)

Amazon |Smashwords | Paperback Becoming Red

‘You got me back. You always said you would.’

Ash DeMorgan, graduate, orphan, ice maiden, has long since consigned the fairytale nightmares of a troubled childhood to the realm of fantastical childish imagination.

Now, lured back to Dublin, the scene of her tragic past, Ash encounters a city pulsing under the dangerous sexual influence of a new street drug the locals call Rave. Nothing is as it seems. Ash is about to discover that her nightmares are real, ancient Irish myths are larger than life and roaming the streets of the medieval city, and she has become the prey in their erotic hunt. A step back into her past is about to become a high adrenaline race for survival.

Connal Savage, outcast, assassin, and living, breathing hunk of ancient mythology, has lived a thousand years servicing a debt of revenge. Dead inside. Until he encounters his boss’s granddaughter, an infuriating woman who threatens to lead him to hell with all his good intentions, who manages to chip away at the hard encrusted defenses of a lifetime spent at war and burrow herself deep into a part of him that hasn’t breathed for centuries. He is about to discover that when it comes down to the wire, when you’re bargaining with the Grim Reaper for the life of the one you love, you will do anything…

*****

Becoming Bad

Book two

Amazon | Smashwords | Paperback Becoming Bad

How do you fight the monster when it is inside of you?

The black lake beneath Dublin’s medieval city holds a secret. Imprisoned there for millennia, an ancient race of demi-gods have found a way to the surface and are preying on humans to feed their sexual appetites. Hunted to near-extinction, these half-men, half-beasts have been without a single female to breed a new generation. Until now.

All her life, Ashling DeMorgan feared her dreams. She kept her head buried in ancient mythology, because the real world seemed so much scarier. On returning to Dublin to settle her invalid grandmother’s affairs, Ash discovered a city plagued by the same wolf-like creatures that killed her mother. Their bite is like sexual heroin and Ash has been bitten. Now she is trapped in a waking nightmare, with the monster who ordered the death of the only man she’s ever loved. Made to doubt if she ever really knew the assassin-turned-guardian who stole her heart and gave his life for hers, Ash finds herself betrayed by her own changing body. In a dangerous world of suspicion and divided loyalties, Ash must come to terms with what she is becoming. Worse still, her infuriatingly arrogant captor may just prove to be her most unlikely ally in what will become a life and death race for survival.

MacTire, king of a once formidable race, has lived his life in the shadow of a half-brother who took everything from him. Connal Savage seduced his mate and engineered a genocide that all but exterminated their species. Finally, he has a chance at retribution. Connal’s woman is his for the taking. But are the bonds of brotherhood so easily severed and are the ghosts of the past ever truly dead and buried, or will they come back to haunt him?

GIVEAWAY:

We would be delighted to offer two winners ebook copies of both books 1&2 of the Becoming Series (we can provide Smashwords coupons either directly to the winners email or to you, to pass them on to the winners)

August 1, 2013July 31, 2013

Moonlight Blog Tour Interview & Giveaway with Lisa Kessler

Today we have the amazingly talented Lisa Kessler with us to discuss her new book, Moonlight. It has sexy werewolves, jaguar shifters, and a hot steamy romance that definitely shouldn’t be missed.

1. Tell me about your new release.
Moonlight is the first book in the Moon Series. I have 8 books planned for the series, so I sure hope readers jump on board so I can get them all out… 🙂

2. I absolutely love werewolves. Where did you come with the idea for this book?

Moonlight actually started from a short story I wrote when I was taking up Ray Bradbury’s challenge to write 52 stories in 52 weeks. I wrote a story very similar to the first chapter of the book and couldn’t let it rest. It felt like West Side Story with werewolves and jaguars, like a very deadly Romeo and Juliet kind of thing and I couldn’t stop wondering about what would happen to them. The book was done about six months later!

3. Do you have any actors that you envision when writing your characters?

Often I do… And then I load up Pinterest boards so I can pull it up while I’m writing to help inspire me… Here’s the board for Moonlight: http://pinterest.com/ldydisney/scenes-from-moonlight/

4. How many books do you plan to write in this series?

Hee! I answered it above, but there will be 8 books… I hope! My publisher has contracted the first 3 so far. Hunter’s Moon will be out in October and Blood Moon is coming in July 2014. Woot!

5. What is your favorite book at the moment?

Oh that’s like choosing my favorite child! Yikes! LOL It’s usually whichever book I’m currently working on at the moment… Right now I’m writing the final book in my Night Series and the hero and heroine have lots of chemistry so I’m really enjoying writing it! 🙂

6. What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Write short stories and lots of them. Ray Bradbury knew what he was talking about when he told me it was the best way to improve your writing. Learn to feel a story arc of beginning-middle-end and then use it with your book chapters and you’ll finish your novel… Never stop writing!

Thank you so much for answering my questions. I am so excited for this series!

I hope you enjoy the book! Moonlight was a thrill to write! Thanks for the blog spot and all your support for my books!

About the Author:

Lisa Kessler is an award winning author of dark paranormal fiction. Her debut novel, Night Walker, won a San Diego Book Award for Best Published Fantasy-Sci-fi-Horror as well as the Romance Through the Ages Award for Best Paranormal and Best First Book.

Her short stories have been published in print anthologies and magazines, and her vampire story, Immortal Beloved, was a finalist for a Bram Stoker award.

When she’s not writing, Lisa is a professional vocalist, performing with the San Diego Opera as well as other musical theater companies in San Diego. You can learn more at http://Lisa-Kessler.com

Jennifer’s Review of Moonlight

TITLE: Moonlight

SERIES #: The Moon Series #1

CHARACTERS: Lana Turpin and Adam Sloan

AUTHOR: Lisa Kessler

PUBLICATION DATE: 07/15/13

ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: Rancher Adam Sloan is more than meets the eye. As the heir to his Pack, the sexy werewolf’s biggest challenge is keeping his kin’s true nature under wraps. But a group of jaguar shifters threatens to reveal the pack, blasting into town killing humans in plain sight. And when he smells one at the local diner, his standing orders are to take her out.

Lana Turpin doesn’t realize she’s a moving target. Raised in the foster system, she only knows that she blacks out during the new moon and wakes up without remembering a thing. But now she’s being tracked by some strange organization that wants her back–even though she’s never stepped foot inside their compound. And the stranger across the diner is watching her like an enemy.

It should be simple mission for Adam, but when he touches the frustratingly beautiful Lana, his inner wolf howls…mate. Now, the two must find and stop the people who hunt her…and Adam must keep his own family from killing the only woman he will ever love.

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Jennifer NUMBER OF STARS: Five Stars

REVIEW: I absolutely loved everything about this book! Lana was such a great character because she was a very tough lady who was smart enough to take care of herself when she didn’t understand why she was a target for this strange group. She had always stayed under the radar as a writer but was trying to get to the bottom of why she was having these mysterious blackouts once a month. Because of these blackouts, she finds herself on the run and directly into the path of Adam Sloan.

Adam is a werewolf who is destined to be the alpha of his pack and is on a mission to hunt down the jaguar shifters that are killing people in his town. When he meets Lana, at the local diner, his whole world turns upside down with one touch of her hand. Now, he will do whatever is necessary to protect Lana from the clutches of the Nero corporation and the members of his own pack. Adam was such a sexy werewolf with his black boots, dark hair and green eyes, that I couldn’t help but envy Lana for getting together with him. Their relationship wasn’t the easiest but I could definitely see how much they cared about each other and how they did their best to protect one another from harm. I enjoyed their scenes together because they had this great romantic chemistry and the sex scenes were definitely hot and steamy.

Moonlight is an exciting thrill ride that will have you on the edge of your seat and Lisa Kessler has created such an engaging story with characters that literally jump off the page. I am so excited for her next novel in the series, Hunter’s Moon, which is out later this year so I can meet up with these characters once again.

Giveaway

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August 1, 2013July 24, 2013

Interview with Jerri Alexander

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Jerri Alexander back to the blog

Jerri, can you please share with us a little about yourself

Other than being a writer? I paint, bake, and I’m an avid reader. I love a good romantic suspense, J. R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series, and my guilty pleasure is historical romance. I’m married, have one daughter, who lives with her family about eight miles away. My husband and I live in the country with our rescue dog, Buddy. Our careers have taken us too many different states but coming back to Texas was always the plan. Lucky for us, we moved back a few months before our granddaughter was born!

Have you always wanted to be an author?

I’ve always written in some fashion. In the beginning, I thought I wanted to be a journalist. But I learned early on that spicing up and embellishing the story was against the rules. 🙂 I studied creative writing many years ago, but my career took off and I put it aside for a few years. It was my husband’s encouragement that led to me resigning and writing full time.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

Now, that brought a chuckle. I have a few. I write in complete silence. Do not plot. I write and rewrite the first sentence until it’s right…then I’m ready to write. And my weirdest if not interesting is that when I finish a book, I’m convinced I’ll never have another original idea.

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

I have three! They all rolled out very close to each other. The Last Execution, Someone To Watch Over Me, and Hell or High Water!

How did you come up with the idea for this story?

I write romantic suspense, so I want the story to be fresh, gritty, and current. It takes a lot of research for me to hit on a new thought! I’ll read every crime story in the paper, pour over FBI profiler books until an idea hits me. Then I start the ‘what if’ scenario. The Last Execution after a story about a sniper. I wonder why he was killing people. Then I thought…what if he thought his killings were righteous?

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?

My current WIP is book two in the Lost and Found, Inc series, Cold Day in Hell. Ty Castillo from Hell or High Water gets his own story!

Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?

Linda Howard. Her Death Angel is the best romantic suspense I’ve ever read. She can take a killer and make you fall in love with him. Now, that’s a real talent! I’d love to know how she builds and layers in such powerful emotion.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Never give up. Oh sure you’ll get rejected. Every writer I know has been turned down. That’s one person’s opinion. If you want to be in this business, you have to understand it’s hard work, but it can be done.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list.

I want to snorkel The Great Barrier Reef in Australia. It would be a long flight and then boat ride but so worth it.

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

I’m waiting for the next Christy Reece or Karen Rose book. Either one..just bring it on!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thank you for hosting me today! You support is invaluable!

Giveaway

Win one of two copies of The Green-Eyed Doll by Jerrie Alexander

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A little more about author: A student of creative writing in her youth, Jerrie set aside her passion when life presented her with a John Wayne husband, and two wonderful children. A career in logistics offered her the opportunity to travel to many beautiful locations in America, and she revisits them in her romantic suspense novels.

But the characters went with her, talked to her, and insisted she share their dark, sexy stories with others. She writes alpha males and kick-ass women who weave their way through death and fear to emerge stronger because of, and on occasion in spite of, their love for each other. She likes to torture people, make them suffer, and if they’re strong enough, they live happily ever after.

The author of THE GREEN-EYED DOLL, and THE LAST EXECUTION, Jerrie and her husband live in Texas. She loves sunshine, children’s laughter, sugar (human and granulated), and researching for her heroes and heroines.

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July 31, 2013July 24, 2013

Spotlight Series of DB Reynolds Vampires in America

RAPHAEL

Vampires In America, Book 1

Amazon | B&N | ImaJinn Books

Malibu, California—home to rock-and-roll gods and movie stars, the beautiful, the rich . . . and vampires. Powerful and charismatic, Raphael is a Vampire Lord, one of the few who hold the power of life and death over every vampire in existence. Thousands call him Master and have pledged absolute loyalty on their very lives. But when, in a brazen and deadly daylight attack, a gang of human killers kidnaps the one female vampire he’d give his life for, Raphael turns to a human investigator to find his enemies before it’s too late. Cynthia Leighton is smart, tough and sexy, a private investigator and former cop who’s tired of spying on cheating spouses and digging out old bank accounts. When Raphael asks for her help in tracking down the kidnappers, Cyn’s happy to accept. But she soon realizes her greatest danger comes not from the humans, but from Raphael himself. Battling Russian mobsters and treacherous vampires, and betrayed by those they trusted, Cyn and Raphael find themselves fighting for their lives while caught up in a passion of blood and violence that is destined to destroy them both.

*****

JABRIL

Vampires In America, Book 2

Amazon | B&N | ImaJinn Books

Houston, Texas—Cowboy boots, baseball and journeys to the stars . . . right? Wrong. Because Houston is also home to Jabril Karim, one of the eight powerful Vampire Lords who control all of North America. And as Private Investigator Cynthia Leighton will soon discover, not all Vampire Lords are created equal. For Jabril is the face of evil in the new world, a vampire who values no life but his own, who enslaves those he desires, steals whatever he covets and destroys anyone who stands in his way. Running from L.A. and its seductive Vampire Lord, Raphael, Cyn sees the Houston job as a welcome refuge, a place to get away and heal her broken heart. But Texas will be no vacation. For in Jabril Karim, Cyn will confront a true enemy, one who will go to any lengths to satisfy his lusts, enrich his coffers and expand his power. Fighting for the lives of two young sisters, Cyn’s journey will take her through the streets of Houston and back to L.A., where the human police are determined to bring Raphael down for the murder of one of their own. But the danger doesn’t end there. For Jabril has set his sights on Cyn, and he will stop at nothing to have her.

*****

RAJMUND

Vampires In America, Book 3

Amazon | B&N | ImaJinn Books

Buffalo, New York—Thundering waterfalls, great sports teams . . . and a treacherous Vampire Lord who is slowly losing his mind. New York City vampire Rajmund Gregor is the undisputed master of The Big Apple. He bows to no one but his Sire, the Vampire Lord Krystof, who has ruled the Northeast for hundreds of years. But when Krystof summons Rajmund to his headquarters in Buffalo, Raj finds his master slowly descending into madness and his territory crumbling around him. Raj is the only one of Krystof’s children strong enough to seize power, but he’ll have to save his master before he can destroy him. Several women have gone missing and the local police are convinced a vampire is behind it. Is Krystof so lost to reality that he’s capturing and murdering human women? Is a rogue vampire moving into Krystof’s territory for the kill? Or is it something far more insidious, something that could threaten the existence of vampires everywhere? Sarah Stratton is living a lie. Her past holds a secret she shares with no one—not even her good friend Cynthia Leighton, the West Coast vampire lord’s mate. It’s a secret that could destroy her carefully constructed life as a professor at a Buffalo university. It’s also a secret that could save the lives of the missing women. To save them, however, she must enter Buffalo’s vampire community and put herself into the care of Rajmund Gregor. But can she trust Raj, the dangerously seductive vampire who wants to lay claim to far more than her secrets?

*****

SOPHIA

Vampires In America, Book 4

Amazon | B&N | IamJinn Books

The Pacific Northwest . . . home to lush forests and constant rain, to lumberjacks and computer geeks, especially those of the vampire kind. Sophia, beautiful and deadly, has spent the last hundred years dancing her way through the balmy nights and hot-blooded men of South America. But when her Sire sends an urgent summons, Sophia rushes home to Vancouver only to find he has disappeared, leaving nothing behind but three dead vampires and a letter with Sophia’s name on it. Colin Murphy, a former Navy SEAL, came to the Northwest seeking a quiet place to heal the scars earned in more than a decade at war. But when someone starts killing local vampires and torturing their mates, Colin takes on the mantle of a warrior once again as he sets out to find the killers and do whatever it takes to stop them, even if that means hunting with vampires. Following her Sire’s trail of death to a small town in northern Washington, Sophia unexpectedly discovers the heat of a South American night in Colin’s arms. But too soon Sophia and Colin find themselves in a race to uncover the killers before the next dead vampire becomes Sophia herself.

*****

DUNCAN

Vampires In America, Book 5

Amazon | B&N | IamJinn Books

Washington, D.C. … capital of an empire. Powerful. Exhilarating. Corrupt. And in the shadows … vampires far older than the nation itself. A power unto himself, Duncan has served at Raphael’s side for a hundred and fifty years. But long laid plans have finally borne fruit, and the time has come for Duncan to leave Raphael and tackle the greatest challenge of his life. He will face treacherous vampires and murderous humans. He will rock the halls of human power if necessary. But Washington, D.C. will be his. Emma Duquet cares nothing for vampire politics. She just wants to find her missing roommate and best friend, Lacey. But Lacey’s been playing with vampires of a particularly dangerous kind, and Emma will have to deal with the new vampire in town if she’s going to find her friend. Battling powerful enemies who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets, Duncan and Emma will dig beneath the corruption and depravity that is Washington, D.C. and uncover the most heinous conspiracy of all.

THE VIGNETTES, VOLUME 1

Vampires In America, Book 5.1

Amazon

Nine stories of seduction and intrigue set in the Vampires in America universe. For the first time in print … The Vampire Vignettes, originally appearing on D. B. Reynolds’ blog, some of the Vignettes are mere glimpses of life between the books, sensual interludes from New Year’s Eve on the beaches of Malibu, to love in a penthouse over Manhattan. Others continue the stories told in the books, including a challenge fought on a snowy night in Montreal. And all of them take the reader behind the scenes with the author’s ultimate alpha Vampire Lords and their beautiful and independent mates. And Never Before Published – Two brand new, full-length short stories. You Belong To Me follows Duncan and his mate Emma as they consolidate power in his new territory, while generating plenty of heat in private. And then it’s time for The Wedding, as readers join Rajmund and Sarah for their big weekend … and Cyn’s girls-night-out bachelorette party. Unfortunately, some local kidnappers have other plans, and Cyn and Sarah will have to outwit their abductors before Raphael and Raj start hunting, and the entire wedding is ruined!

*****

BETRAYED

A Cyn & Raphael e-Novella

Vampires In America, Book 5.5

Amazon | IamJinn Books

Love, the ache in your heart when you meet the one. It can take you to soaring heights; and it can leave you bleeding in the wreckage. Loyalty, the thing which binds a Vampire Lord to his children for eternity . . . unless it rots from within, birthing hatred. Betrayal, it comes in many forms and from many sources…love…loyalty…betrayal. War has come to the North American vampires, and Vampire Lords are reaching across territorial lines to strengthen allies and weaken enemies. The most powerful Lord of them all, Raphael, could change the course of the war and determine who raises the final banner of victory. But at what price? And will his mate, Cyn, be the one to pay it?

*****

LUCAS

Vampires In America, Book 6

Amazon | B&N | IamJinn Books

THE BADLANDS of SOUTH DAKOTA . . . haunting landscapes, legendary outlaws, and . . . vampires? LUCAS DONLON, Vampire Lord, is one of the most powerful vampires in North America and beyond. Charming and irreverent to his friends and lovers, he enjoys everything about his life as a vampire. But when a neighboring lord makes the mistake of declaring war, he quickly discovers that Lucas is every bit as lethal as he is charming. KATHRYN HUNTER doesn’t care about powerful vampires or their wars. Her baby brother is missing and she will do anything to find him, even if it means going against both her FBI bosses and the local vampire lord. But Lucas Donlon has other plans for the lovely FBI agent who’s landed on his doorstep. Waging war against their enemies and each other, Lucas and Kathryn will risk everything to keep the most deadly vampire war in hundreds of years from engulfing every vampire, and human, in North America.

*****

HUNTED

A Cyn & Raphael e-Novella

Vampires In America, Book 6.5

Amazon | B&N| ImaJinn Books

POWER, it comes down to this . . . those who have it, those who want it. REVENGE, the need for it is a fire in the soul, a goad for the unwise. HUNTED, the fate of the foolish when they think to become the hunter. Power . . . Revenge . . . Hunted. The Lord of the Midwest is dead, and the powerful vampires of North America are gathering to choose his successor. The Vampire Council will be there to oversee the competition and to keep the violence to a bloody minimum, including Raphael, who will do whatever it takes to ensure the victor is a vampire he can trust. But someone is determined to stop Raphael and his mate, Cyn, from ever reaching Chicago, a hunter who may soon become . . . the hunted.

*****

ADEN

Vampires In America, Book 7

Coming November 2013

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

D.B. Reynolds is the award-winning author of the popular Vampires in America series, as well as other paranormal fiction. She lives with her husband of many years in a flammable canyon near Los Angeles, and when she’s not writing her own books, she can usually be found reading someone else’s.

Connect with D.B.:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

D.B. Reynolds HUNTED Blog Tour – July 15 – July 31

7/15- Book Chick

http://bookchickwithkick.com/

7/16- Miscellaneous Thoughts of A Bookaholic

http://miscellaneousthoughtsofabookaholic.blogspot.com/

7/17- Literal Hotties Naughty Book Reviews

http://literalhottiesnaughtybookreviews.blogspot.com/

7/18- Book Monster Reviews

http://www.bookmonsterreviews.com/

7/19- Penny For Them

http://pennyforthem1.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/home

7/20- Mad Hatter Reads

http://madhatterreads.blogspot.com/

7/21- United by Books

http://unitedbybooks.blogspot.com/

7/22- Paranormal Haven

http://www.paranormalhaven.com/

7/22- Book Pages & Dripping Ink

http://bookpagesanddrippingink.blogspot.com/

7/23- Kelly P’s Blog

http://kellyatx.blogspot.com/

7/23- Toot’s Book Reviews

http://tootsbookreviews.blogspot.com/

7/24- Literal Addiction

http://www.literaladdiction.com/

7/25- Dalene’s Book Reviews

http://www.dalenesbookreviews.blogspot.com/

7/25- Vampires, Werewolves & Fairies Oh My!

http://vampireswerewolvesfairiesohmy.blogspot.com/

7/26- Bookin’ It Reviews

http://www.bookinitreviews.com/

7/27- GotFiction?

http://gotfiction.com/

7/28- Urban Girl Reader

http://www.urbangirlreader.com/

7/29- Wicked Readings by Tawania

http://www.wickedreadingsbytawania.blogspot.com/

7/30- My Secret Romance

http://www.mysecretromancebookreviews.com/

7/31- Romance Junkies

http://www.romancejunkies.com/rjblog/

7/31- Books-N-Kisses

https://books-n-kisses.com/

TOUR GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

D.B. is giving away the following prizes at the end of her tour:

GRAND PRIZE: signed set of the Vampires In America series, including both novellas

RUNNERS-UP: Five (5) runners up will receive an eBook of their choice from the VIA series

Giveaway is open internationally!

RAFFLECOPTER CODE (PLEASE EMBED INTO YOUR TOUR POST):

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July 30, 2013July 24, 2013

Guest Blogger: Laura Florand

A Peek into the World of THE CHOCOLATE TOUCH

Four books into the Amour et Chocolat series (THE CHOCOLATE THIEF, THE CHOCOLATE KISS, THE CHOCOLATE ROSE, and now THE CHOCOLATE TOUCH), you would think I would get tired of chocolate, but I guess I’m one of those people who is always ready to take another bite. For one thing, every time I go behind the scenes to make sure I’ve got the details right for one book, I encounter such fascinating stories and people and settings that they end up inspiring another book.

In the case of THE CHOCOLATE TOUCH, I was researching with one of the top chocolatiers in the world, Jacques Genin, in a final effort to make sure I had the details of THE CHOCOLATE THIEF right before it went to press. (To be honest, I will go behind-the-scenes with a dozen chocolatiers to make sure one book is right if I have to! Or even hundreds! I am selfless in my pursuit of good chocola—ahem, that is, in pursuit of accuracy in my work. People have no idea of the things I’ve had to eat and the lengths I’ve had to go to, to write these books.)

As soon as I got a proper look at Jacques Genin’s kitchens and salon de chocolat, I knew I had found the setting for Sylvain Marquis’s obstreperous rival Dominique Richard, and that he was going to have to have his own story.

Now, of course, THE CHOCOLATE TOUCH is fiction and in no way meant to exactly represent any one setting. But as with Paris itself or the Maison des Sorcières in THE CHOCOLATE KISS, often I encounter real settings that are so beautiful or inspiring that they just work their way into characters in my mind, helping to form who those characters are, until both characters and their setting have to have a story.

I love it when readers write to me that they have gone on a pilgrimage through Paris to find places mentioned in the books.

THE CHOCOLATE TOUCH has a particular focus on the area around République and the Canal Saint-Martin, an area of Paris that is a sentimental favorite of mine, and if readers go to visit it, I highly recommend a stop at Jacques Genin’s (133, rue de Turenne 75003 Paris). You won’t find Dominique Richard there unless you take THE CHOCOLATE TOUCH with you. But I can promise you won’t be disappointed in the chocolates! And you can have fun paging through the book and seeing how many elements of the setting have worked their way into its pages.

Here are a few photos to help you get started. Have you been to Paris yourself? What places there have inspired you? What places would you like to see if or next time you go?

Check out Laura’s series HERE

July 30, 2013July 26, 2013

Release Day Madness 7.30.13

Happy Release Day!!!!

What are you getting this week?

Did I miss your favorite?

Send me an email at kelly(at)books-n-kisses.com and let me know of any upcoming releases you want featured on Tuesday’s Release Day Madness.

July 29, 2013July 29, 2013

Lily Everett Interview and Giveaway

I’m so excited to have one of my favorite authors, Lily Everett aka Louisa Edwards, with us on Books-n-Kisses today. I have been waiting for her new series since I finished The Rising Star Chef series and I’m proud to introduce her new book, Sanctuary Island, as well as interview this fabulous author.

1. Tell me about your new release Sanctuary Island.

Sanctuary Island introduces readers to this beautiful, windswept small town off the coast of Virginia, where the close-knit community grew up in and around a wild horse sanctuary. In the first book, Ella Preston escorts her flighty, pregnant younger sister to Sanctuary Island to reconnect with the mother they haven’t seen in more than a decade–even though Ella’s not sure that’s a good idea. But when she gets to the island, she begins to see that the only way to move forward in her life is to let go of the past, and if she can do that…she’ll have a chance at true love and lasting happiness with Grady Wilkes, a local handyman with scars of his own.

2. Where did you come up with the idea?

I’ve loved horses since I was a little girl, and I grew up not far from Assateague Island, one of several real-life East Coast islands that are home to bands of wild horses. Assateague is a nature preserve, kept completely for the horses, but I thought…what if there were a cute, quirky town there, full of sexy men and smart women who all need to find love?

3. Do you plan to make this into a series?

Sanctuary Island is the first full-length novel of the series, but we’ve already released a trilogy of digital-only novellas set on the island, to welcome readers to the series! The novellas are not prequels to the book, they’re a self-contained trio of short romances with only a few cameos here and there. The next full-length book in the series will be Shoreline Drive, and it will be the story of Ella’s younger sister, new mom Merry Preston and the local veterinarian (and resident grump) Ben Fairfax. Shoreline Drive will be out on January 28, 2014, and it’ll be followed by Heartbreak Cove next summer!

4. Were there any challenges in writing a small-town romance compared to writing your Recipe for Love series? What kind of research did you have to do for Sanctuary Island?

I actually grew up in a small town in Virginia, so in some ways, there was even less research for me to get that setting, the pace and feel of it, to be authentic! And for the horse details, I have my sister and mother-in-law to thank. Both are dedicated, talented horsewomen, and were a great source of information and fun facts. My mother-in-law is an active volunteer with the Jackson Hole Therapeutic Riding Center, and I was very inspired by taking tours, watching classes, and interviewing the other volunteers, clients, and employees there.

5. Did you have any particular actors in mind when writing your characters?

I always have actors in mind! If anyone made a movie of Sanctuary Island, I’d love for Emily Blunt to play Ella. And for Grady Wilkes, my rough and tumble handyman with the troubled past, I pictured a scruffy Chris Hemsworth every single day as I wrote. I know, poor little me, right?

6. What is the one thing that you have to when you are writing (food, drink, work space)?

I’ve actually tried to cultivate an ability to work anywhere, anytime, even if I only have a twenty minutes or so–but what that requires is focus. When all else fails, I use Write or Die, an amazing program that keeps track of time and how fast you produce words, and if you pause for too long, the screen flashes red and jerks you back into line! It sounds scary, but it’s been amazing to me how productive I can be if I just focus.

7. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

My biggest advice is to write through to The End without a ton of self-editing along the way, at least until you get a couple of completed manuscripts under your belt. What I wish I’d known when I first started is that every single book (at least for me) hits a snag somewhere in the middle where I hate it, am convinced it’s terrible, and want to throw it aside and start something else. But whatever new thing you start will have its own problems! So push through the hard part and get to The End. The first time you finish a manuscript is a huge accomplishment and a major step forward. I don’t want to lie and say every manuscript after that first one will be easier (that hasn’t been true for me!) but you’ll have more tools and skills at your disposal.

8. What are you working on next?

The follow-up to Sanctuary Island, Shoreline Drive, is already revised, so now I’m writing Heartbreak Cove! It’s early days so I don’t want to say too much about it yet, but I know the hero is Sam Brennan, a man who empathizes with, rescues, and rehabilitates abused and neglected horses. I’m already crushing on him pretty hard!

Thank you so much for being here on Books-n-Kisses today and I just want to say how much I love your books!!!

Thank you for having me! I loved doing this interview.

About the Author:

Lily Everett grew up in a small town in central Virginia, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Although she’s lived many other places since, from college in Philadelphia to her first publishing job in New York City and her current home in Austin, Texas, she never forgot the beauty and warmth of her little hometown. She is thrilled to be writing the Sanctuary Island series full time because it allows her to combine her longstanding love of romance with the memories of her childhood home.

Lily’s alter ego is Louisa Edwards. Under that name, she is the author of the Recipe for Love series, sexy contemporary romances with hot chef heroes set in the high-stakes, fast-paced world of professional restaurants.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a signed copy of Sanctuary Island. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by August 1st, answer me this question in the comments:

If you could visit any island in the world, where would you travel to?

Jennifer’s Review of Sanctuary Island

TITLE: Sanctuary Island

CHARACTERS: Ella Preston and Grady Wilkes

AUTHOR: Lily Everett

PUBLICATION DATE: 07/30/13

ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: When Ella’s sister decides to reunite with their estranged mother, Ella goes along for the ride–it’s always been the two Preston girls against the world. But Sanctuary Island, a tiny refuge for wild horses tucked off the Atlantic coast, is more inviting than she ever imagined. And it holds more than one last opportunity to repair her broken family–if Ella can open her carefully guarded heart, there is also the chance for new beginnings.

Grady Wilkes is a handyman who can fix anything…except the scars of his own past. When he accepts the task of showing Ella the simple beauties of the island that healed him, he discovers a deep sense of comfort he thought he’d lost. But now he must convince the woman who never intended to stay that on Sanctuary Island, anything is possible–forgiving past mistakes, rediscovering the simple joys of life, and maybe even falling in love.

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Jennifer NUMBER OF STARS: Four Stars

REVIEW: I thought Sanctuary Island was a tender-hearted love story between two people that were plagued with emotional baggage and heartbreak, that worked together to slowly repair the emotional damage in their lives. Ella was such a strong character in this book, who came to Sanctuary Island with her sister, Merry, for emotional support to visit their estranged mother. She hid behind an personal wall to protect herself from feeling anything in regards to her mother after she abandoned them due to alcoholism when they were young. This emotional wall also protected her from romantic relationships and as a result, she became a workaholic on the verge of a nervous breakdown before arriving to Sanctuary Island.

Grady Wilkes was a handyman on Sanctuary Island who did odd jobs around the island and met Ella on her mother’s ranch. Grady had seen how much Jo Ellen had changed after battling alcoholism years ago and was afraid that Ella was only here to get Jo’s money. Grady was once a hot shot member of a search and rescue team that was hiding out after a mission left him physically and emotionally scarred. Meeting Ella was the first light of hope that had entered his dark world in a long time and he approached his relationship with her carefully, afraid that she would be frightened away from his physical scars. Ella wasn’t afraid of anything and being with Grady made her finally realize that she needed to try to make amends with her mother and start to build a relationship based on the present and not the mistakes of the past.

I loved Lily’s style of writing and I couldn’t help but fall in love with Sanctuary Island and want to move there myself. This was a enchanting romance that swept me away with its story and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, Shoreline Drive.

July 29, 2013July 15, 2013

Book Blast: Sweet revenge: Dueling with the Devil bk 2

Sweet revenge

Dueling with the Devil, book 2

AMAZON

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. What if that woman is a demon, in fact Lilith’s very own daughter? Isabella LaCoste vowed to get her revenge on her ex and his new human fiance. She didn’t commit fifty years of her life to be thrown out like last season’s runway fad. But taking vengeance on an upper level Shifter Demon and the newly crowned Voodoo Princess might not be a one demon job. She volunteers her services to Lucifer to deliver Angel and Jacque in exchange for his help. She never expected her new partner in crime would fill the void in her broken heart.

Not even death brought him peace. Xavier Toussant wanted out of his contract and the killing business. His last assignment was his own brother and he failed to deliver. Lucifer didn’t appreciate his valor in dealing with his brother, Jacque. In fact, it only created more problems. Xavier’s back on assignment to capture his brother and the Voodoo chick. Only this time, he’s shackled to the craziest female in the Underworld. Xavier finds Isabella LaCoste might be the one thing to put his soul at ease.

Sweet Revenge: Dueling with the Devil Book 2 was a Finalist in the Music City Melody of Love Contest.

About the Author:

Although Vivi Dumas grew up an Army brat, she calls Louisiana home, but have endured the hot summers and cold winters of Maryland for the last 16 years. She is a graduate of Mount St. Mary’s University with an MBA in Finance and Marketing. Her analytical side has honed a career in the financial industry for almost twenty years. To balance her logical, numerical day job, she unleashes her creativity in her writing.

Vivi pens multicultural paranormal romance, mixing the two genres she loves. Her steamy paranormal romances indulge in worlds inhabited by demons, werewolves, vampires, and other supernatural beings. She has published works with Decadent Publishing, Ravenous Romance, and Breathless Press.

Her latest book is the paranormal romance, Sweet Revenge: Dueling with the Devil Book 2.

Visit her website at www.ViviDumas.com.

Connect & Socialize with Vivi!

TWITTER | FACEBOOK

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July 29, 2013July 28, 2013

Cover Reveal & Giveaway of Searching for Beautiful by Nyrae Dawn

Today Nyrae Dawn and Entangled Teen are revealing the cover for SEARCHING FOR BEAUTIFUL, which releases on March 4, 2014.

Before, Brynn had a group of best friends, a loving boyfriend, a growing talent for pottery. She had a life. And after…she had none.

When Brynn lost the boyfriend who never loved her, the friends who feel she betrayed their trust, and the new life just beginning to grow inside her, she believes her future is as empty as her body. But then Christian, the boy next door, starts coming around. Playing his guitar and pushing her to create art once more. She meets some new friends at the local community center, plus even gets her dad to look her in the eye again…sort of.

But can Brynn open up her heart to truly find her life’s own beauty, when living for the after means letting go of the before?

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble

**Excerpt**

Christian looks at me. I wait for a smart-aleck reply or a smile but get neither. Just his blue eyes sucking me in like a whirlpool. “That’s what I thought you would say. So you just have to keep fighting for it. Keep fighting to get it back.”

My eyes won’t leave his and his won’t leave mine. And he’s cute. God, he’s so cute, I just want to focus on his cuteness. I want that to be all that matters. When his hand comes up and cups my cheek, I gasp. He brushes his thumb under my eye and licks his lips and I’m frozen and on fire and close to having a heart attack and anxious all at the same time.

Slowly, he leans forward and I know he’s giving me time. And my heart is leaping and I want to feel his lips. This is Christian. The boy who asked me to dance. The boy I ran to my mom about and told her that I loved. And now he’s my friend. The first person who has made me feel normal since everything happened.

But I’m so scared. Scared of messing it up. Scared he’ll decide he doesn’t want me. Scared of losing him. Of getting hurt.

He gets closer and I smell his sweet, sugary scent. See his mouth and wet lips and that hair I want to touch.

See the one person besides Emery who I have. The one person I can’t lose. “Wait,” I say and Christian stops moving. He’s still close. So very, very close that his lips are only an inch away from mine. “I’m scared,” I admit.

“I won’t hurt you.”

And I swear a part of me believes him. Maybe all of me. But how do I know if that’s the right decision or not?

He runs his hand down my face and touches my hair. Love that he’s not nervous to do it the way I am with him and I watch his fingers, brown against my red hair.

“Go out with me, Bryntastic. Let’s go do something this weekend. Don’t keep running. I won’t even try to kiss you again unless you tell me to. Or I’ll wait for you to do it. Just let go. Live.”

His words are what I want. I want them so badly and they sound so perfect that it’s hard not to just scream, “Yes!” right now. “Why?” I ask him. “Why are you so nice to me?”

I love his strength. Love that he doesn’t even hesitates before saying, “Because you were my first crush. Because I used to watch you conqueror anything and used to listen to you laugh with your friends. You were happy and I loved your smile. Because I had to work up the courage to ask you to dance and I did, and then I left and the one thing I missed was that smile. I watched my sister lose hers and watched my family fall apart and when I came back here? I wanted to see your smile again. Because you’re beautiful when you smile and you’ve lost it now. I want you to conquer this because what the hell is the purpose in it all if the first girl I ever danced with loses her smile?”

I don’t realize I’m crying until Christian wipes my tears. “You think I’m beautiful?”

About the Author:

Writing has always been Nyrae Dawn’s passion. There have been times in her life where she wasn’t able to chase that dream the way she desired, but she always found her way back to telling stories. One of her loves has always been writing about teens. There’s something so fresh and fun about the age that she loves exploring. Her husband says it’s because she doesn’t want to grow up. She doesn’t think that’s such a bad thing and luckily for her, he doesn’t either. Nyrae gravitates toward character-driven stories. She loves going on emotional journeys with characters whether it be reading or writing. And yes, she’s a total romantic at heart and proud.

Nyrae resides in sunny Southern California with her husband (who still makes her swoon) and her two awesome kids. When she’s not with her family, you can be pretty sure you’ll find her with a book in her hand or her laptop and an open document in front of her.

She writes for Entangled Publishing, Grand Central Publishing and is self-published. Nyrae is represented by Jane Dystel of Dystel and Goderich Literary Management.

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